Illegal Eviction Law

NYC Administrative Code § 26-521. Unlawful eviction.

a. It shall be unlawful for any person to evict or attempt to evict
an occupant of a dwelling unit who has lawfully occupied the dwelling
unit for thirty consecutive days or longer or who has entered into
a lease with respect to such dwelling unit or has made a request
for a lease for such dwelling unit pursuant to the hotel stabilization
provisions of the rent stabilization law except to the extent permitted
by law pursuant to a warrant of eviction or other order of a court
of competent jurisdiction or a governmental vacate order by:

(1) using or threatening the use of force to induce the occupant
to vacate the dwelling unit; or

(2) engaging in a course of conduct which interferes with or is
intended to interfere with or disturb the comfort, repose, peace
or quiet of such occupant in the use or occupancy of the dwelling
unit, to induce the occupant to vacate the dwelling unit including,
but not limited to, the interruption or discontinuance of essential
services; or

(3) engaging or threatening to engage in any other conduct which
prevents or is intended to prevent such occupant from the lawful
occupancy of such dwelling unit or to induce the occupant to vacate
the dwelling unit including, but not limited to, removing the occupant's
possessions from the dwelling unit, removing the door at the entrance
to the dwelling unit; removing, plugging or otherwise rendering
the lock on such entrance door inoperable; or changing the lock
on such entrance door without supplying the occupant with a key.

b. It shall be unlawful for an owner of a dwelling unit to fail
to take all reasonable and necessary action to restore to occupancy
an occupant of a dwelling unit who either vacates, has been removed
from or is otherwise prevented from occupying a dwelling unit as
the result of any of the acts or omissions prescribed in subdivision
a of this section and to provide to such occupant a dwelling unit
within such dwelling suitable for occupancy, after being requested
to do so by such occupant or the representative of such occupant,
if such owner either committed such unlawful acts or omissions or
knew or had reason to know of such unlawful acts or omissions, or
if such acts or omissions occurred within seven days prior to such
request.